symposium

American  

[sim-poh-zee-uhm] / sɪmˈpoʊ zi əm /

noun

plural

symposiums, symposia

1. a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, especially a meeting at which several speakers talk on or discuss a topic before an audience.

2. a collection of opinions expressed or articles contributed by several persons on a given subject or topic.

3. an account of a discussion meeting or of the conversation at it.

4. (in ancient Greece and Rome) a convivial meeting, usually following a dinner, for drinking and intellectual conversation.

5. (initial capital letter, italics) a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.) by Plato, dealing with ideal love and the vision of absolute beauty.

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symposium British  

/ sɪmˈpəʊzɪəm /

noun

1. a conference or meeting for the discussion of some subject, esp an academic topic or social problem

2. a collection of scholarly contributions, usually published together, on a given subject

3. (in classical Greece) a drinking party with intellectual conversation, music, etc

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Etymology

Origin of symposium

1580–90; < Latin < Greek sympósion drinking party, equivalent to sym- sym- + po- (variant stem of pī́nein to drink) + -sion noun suffix

Explanation

A symposium is a public meeting about a topic in which people give presentations. If your knitting club holds a symposium, various knitters will give presentations about anything having to do with knitting. A symposium can be a one-time conference or a regular meeting, but it will probably include some amount of discussion or public speeches on a particular subject. Many people who attend symposiums will be part of the audience for many of the presentations, but during the course of the event, give their own presentation or be part of a panel discussion.

Example Sentences

Fed officials making comments include governor Stephen Miran speaking at a financial system symposium at 6:20 p.m.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

In its second section, the novel flashes forward to dramatize an academic symposium organized to honor Thomas after his death.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Yin is also organizing a symposium on the Ithaca campus scheduled for March 3-5, 2026.

From Science Daily • Dec. 24, 2025

I was nonplussed at a 1992 symposium in Vienna when a hall filled with international art world denizens went absolutely wild, cheering and stomping when Kelley was introduced on a panel.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

The symposium had been organized in Henrietta’s honor by Roland Pattillo, a professor of gynecology at Morehouse who’d been one of George Gey’s only African-American students.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• convention
• discussion
• forum
• meeting
• panel discussion
• round table
• seminar